The Pittsburgh Steelers do many things right. They do one thing very wrong.
The franchise clings to a grossly outdated approach to contracts. After the regular season begins, the Steelers refuse to negotiate any new deals, with anyone — players, coaches, etc. And while there may have been an era in which that approach worked to the team’s advantage, it unnecessarily handcuffs them in the age of the salary cap.
On Monday, G.M. Omar Khan made it clear that the Steelers won’t deviate from this rule as to cornerback Joey Porter Jr. That puts even more pressure on both sides as they try to bridge a wide gap between what Porter wants and what the Steelers will pay.
If they don’t get something done by Week 1, they won’t get something done by Week 18 and the postseason (if they qualify). If they don’t get something done by Week 1, what will Porter do?
Khan said Monday that the Steelers expect all players who are healthy to practice and play. Porter clearly isn’t injured; he spent training camp and the preseason on PUP as part of his hold in. So if they can’t get something done before the season starts, and if they won’t talk turkey with Porter until after the season ends, what’s the end game?
That’s the one big flaw with the hold-in concept. At some point, the player has to play. If not, the team could play hardball, imposing fines and possibly suspensions for conduct detrimental to the team.
Last year, the Cowboys eventually threw their hands in the air when it became clear that their apparent plan to kick the can on a Micah Parsons extension through the full 2025 season was going to be short-circuited by Parsons citing a back injury and not playing, perhaps for the entire year. If the Steelers and Porter can’t finalize a deal within the next 12 days — and if Porter won’t play without a new contract — what happens next?
There aren’t many options, and none of them are good. One, the Steelers bite their lip and tolerate it. Two, the Steelers repeatedly fine and/or suspend him for refusing to do his job. Three, they trade him before the deadline.
If the Steelers intend to be aggressive with their rights under the CBA, Porter could decide to tolerate a below-market salary for 2026 and embrace his contract year. And if he plays well enough to make the Steelers believe he deserves what he’s looking for, the Steelers can’t do anything about it due to their outdated internal rule. Conversely, if Porter decides during the season to accept the last, best offer the Steelers make before Week 1, the outdated internal rule will prevent the Steelers from taking it.
The insistence on not doing contracts after the regular season starts puts extra pressure on both sides to reach a solution before September 13, when the Steelers host the Falcons. After that, neither side will have an off-ramp — and Porter’s next move could result in a showdown that will do nothing to help the organization continue its 19-year run of no losing records.
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